Willie Shields

William Buchanan Shields was born in Scotland in 1926.

He was an activist and then President of the draughtsmen’s union, which became TASS.

He is surely the W B Shields who is listed as the Kilmarnock branch secretary of the AESD, living at 26 Cochrane Street, Irvine, Ayrshire in 1959

He was appointed a full-time official of the union and served, firstly, in Glasgow, and then, in Stafford. For a time, he was a member of the Scotttish TUC General Council. 

Willie was often dubbed a Spike Milligan look-a-like! Perhaps it was more that Willie’s impish sense of humour marked him out than that he truly physically resembled the great comedian. Certainly, Willie’s humour was a positive asset to him as an educator with TASS.

Willie died on 1^st April 2010, aged 84 years, Ayr, where he had lived in retirement for many years.